Sukkot begins Friday — plus hen drama on the Shilo Campus 🐔
NewsletteR
Welcome to the Shalom Bridge Family!
Shalom, and welcome to Shalom Bridge — a community where Jews and Gentiles come together as one family, united by G‑D's covenant with Israel and the shared heritage it gives us all. Here, we explore the roots of our faith side by side, honoring the distinct callings of Jew and Gentile while celebrating the new life we share together through the Messiah. Whether you come from a Jewish background, a Gentile background, or somewhere in between, you have a place at this table.
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We also want to take a moment to celebrate Converge. This network of churches has been a steady source of encouragement and support since Shalom Bridge's earliest days, walking with us through the start-up season and generously continuing that partnership well beyond what anyone would have expected. Thank you, Converge, for your faithfulness.
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Shiloh Campus Update
The Great Hen Rebellion (and Other Farm Dramas)
Between the usual chores this week, I couldn't help but notice that our chickens have officially decided they're individuals now — full-blown personalities, opinions, and all. Egg production has gone from "pleasant surprise" to "borderline miraculous," with six or seven eggs a day becoming the new normal. Meanwhile, our quail have apparently unionized and are staging a full-blown strike. No eggs, no comment, no negotiations.
Meet the Cast of Characters
It turns out laying hens are not the silent, interchangeable creatures I once assumed. Each one has her own way of relating to the humans who feed her, and this week made that abundantly clear.
Take our red hen, for instance — she's basically our farm's morning talk-show host. Every day she struts up to greet me with either a cheerful song or a stream of enthusiastic chatter, then promptly pivots to business, marching me straight to wherever she's laid her eggs. She delivers the goods with the pride of someone who just won a blue ribbon at the county fair.
Then there's her opposite number: the hen who checks her nest, finds it empty (because, well, I already collected the eggs), and absolutely loses her mind. She'll lead me to the empty spot with an anguished cluck, as if to say, "They were right here. I know they were right here." I always try to reassure her, showing her the eggs safely in my hand, but this does nothing to stop the ensuing chaos. She is inconsolable on principle.
Lyra's Border Patrol
Our dog Lyra has taken it upon herself to serve as the farm's unofficial security detail, chasing down any bird who wanders where she thinks they shouldn't be. Her goal, we assume, is simply to herd them back behind the fence — though her methods are somewhat lacking in diplomacy. Every so often she'll plant a paw on a hen or gently clamp down on some unlucky tail feathers, which, unsurprisingly, does not go over well with the hens.
Tonight, after we'd finally called Lyra off and put her away, one particularly aggrieved hen made a beeline for me, cackling out her complaints in vivid detail. I crouched down, apologized for the indignity she'd suffered, and offered my sincerest condolences for the chaos. She responded by squatting down, clearly requesting a pickup, so I obliged — cradling her, smoothing her feathers, and murmuring that everything was okay. Within moments, she'd tucked her head against my chest and settled into a soft, contented coo.
Peace, Restored
Life on the farm has a way of being both ridiculous and quietly moving, sometimes in the same five minutes. I love these little moments when the drama settles, the hens forgive and forget, and peace returns to the coop.
My hope for you and your household this week is the same kind of shalom — the Lord's peace settling over your home, and maybe even a few happy hens (or moms, or wives, or the occasional rooster) along the way.
This Week's Parashah
(A parashah or Parashat is a term meaning portion~ in this case, it is referring to a portion of the TORAH)
Yom Kippur Torah and Haftarah Readings
Yom Kippur (יוֹם כִּפּוּר, pronounced yohm kee-POOR), the Day of Atonement, carries its own dedicated Torah readings rather than a weekly parashah, since it is the holiest day of the Jewish year. Both the morning and afternoon services draw from distinct portions of the Torah, each paired with a haftarah reflecting the day's themes of repentance and mercy.
Morning (Shacharit) reading: Leviticus 16:1–34, from Parashat Achrei Mot, describes the sacred service performed by the High Priest (Kohen Gadol) on this one day each year, including the ritual of the two goats — one offered to G‑D and the other sent into the wilderness bearing the sins of the people. The Maftir adds Numbers 29:7–11, detailing the additional offerings prescribed for the day, and the accompanying Haftarah is Isaiah 57:14–58:14, which speaks to the kind of fast G‑D truly desires — one marked by justice and compassion, not ritual alone.
Afternoon (Mincha) reading: Leviticus 18:1–30, continuing from Parashat Achrei Mot, addresses forbidden relationships and calls the people toward holiness in their most intimate choices. The Haftarah for the afternoon is the entire Book of Jonah, concluding with three verses from Micah (7:18–20) — a fitting close to the day, as Jonah's reluctant mission to Nineveh becomes a vivid picture of repentance, mercy, and G‑D's willingness to forgive even those who initially resist His call.
Together, these readings frame Yom Kippur's central themes: the solemn, sacrificial pursuit of atonement recorded in the Torah's ritual law, and the prophetic reminder — through Isaiah and Jonah — that true repentance reaches far beyond ceremony into how we treat others and respond to G-D's call for mercy.
Our Ultimate Kippur
On Yom Kippur, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies once a year, carrying blood to atone for Israel's sins (Leviticus 16:1–34). Today, we remember that Yeshua fulfilled that sacred pattern once for all, entering not an earthly sanctuary but heaven itself, offering His own blood as our eternal atonement (Hebrews 9:11–12).
We still humble our souls, still turn from sin, still intercede for our people — but not to earn forgiveness. We rest in what He accomplished. As Isaiah foretold, "He was pierced for our transgressions... with His wounds we are healed".
Although, this year’s Yom Kippur has passed, may you know covering, cleansing, and covenant peace through Messiah in this new year (5787).
Antisemitism Watch | September 16,-September 22, 2026
As we walk together in the renewed life we share through the Messiah, we stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters in this season of trial.
Violence around Yom Kippur: A shooting outside a synagogue in Ontario, Canada, on Yom Kippur eve left an officer in critical condition and is being investigated as terrorism. In Germany, police arrested a man for allegedly throwing flaming liquid bags at a Wuppertal synagogue days before the holiday. In the UK, arson attacks destroyed four Jewish community ambulances in Golders Green, prompting London's Fire Brigade to demonstrate heightened readiness.
By the numbers: Germany's RIAS group recorded a record 8,725 antisemitic incidents in 2025 — up 248% since 2022 — or about 24 daily. US anti-Jewish hate crimes fell 21% to 1,528 in 2025 (still the third-highest ever, per ADL/FBI data). A global weekly tracker logged 104 new incidents in one week alone, and in New York City, antisemitic offenses made up over half of all confirmed hate crimes this year despite Jews being roughly 10% of the population.
Local incidents: A swastika was found on a park slide in Highland Park, Illinois; police in Lebanon, New Hampshire, are seeking suspects in a graffiti case; and an Imperial Beach, California, couple went public after repeated vandalism at their home.
Institutional response: Courts ordered Oakland Unified schools to address antisemitism complaints; California mandated antisemitism training for two Berkeley schools; UK Labour drew criticism for rehiring an official tied to mishandled complaints; Germany's CDU launched a new initiative; and a Florida Democratic caucus leader's post sparked internal party backlash.
A UN counterterrorism report also warned that AI is accelerating antisemitic propaganda online, even as Israel's Diaspora Ministry launched a new campaign confronting UN bias.
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem." (Psalm 122:6) Shalom Bridge stands with our Jewish family as covenant partners in Messiah.
Sources: Algemeiner, Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post, ADL, RIAS, CAM, UN CTED.
חָזָק (Chazak): The Heart of Courage
Chag HaSukkot “Feast of the Booths/Tabernacles
Guess What’s Coming Right Around the Corner? The Feast of Tabernacles!
I have to admit—I get excited about this feast because it is not only joyful and hands-on, but it carries such a beautiful prophetic picture of what is still to come!
The Feast of Tabernacles, also called Sukkot or the Feast of Booths, begins at sundown on Friday, September 25, 2026, and ends at nightfall on Friday, October 2, 2026. While Christians are not obligated to observe the biblical feasts for salvation, there are powerful biblical reasons to celebrate and learn from them.
Sukkot reminds us of God’s faithfulness as He sustained Israel in the wilderness:
“You shall dwell in booths for seven days…that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.” — Leviticus 23:42–43
And then we see the beautiful connection to Yeshua:
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt [tabernacled] among us…” — John 1:14
But wow, Zechariah points us toward the future:
“Then everyone who survives of all the nations…shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths.” — Zechariah 14:16
The nations will gather with Israel to worship the King! What a prophetic picture of God dwelling with His people.
When Jews and Gentiles come together to celebrate, worship, eat, fellowship, and rejoice before the Lord, we are given a beautiful glimpse of the unity we will experience in the Kingdom to come. In a sense, our celebration becomes a practice for the age to come—a joyful rehearsal of what it will look like to live together in God’s presence, with Yeshua as our King.
And Scripture ends with that very promise:
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them…” — Revelation 21:3
So let’s celebrate with joy, family, fellowship, and anticipation! We build booths, eat together, and spend time in them as we remember God’s faithfulness and look forward to His coming Kingdom.
We’d love to partner with you as you discover the prophetic beauty and joy of this feast. Have questions or prayer requests? Reach out to us—we’d love to hear from you. And come celebrate Sukkot with us!
Prayer: יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָה וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ׃ יָאֵר יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ׃ יִשָּׂא יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם׃
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”
Through this prayer HIS name has been placed upon us!!! (see Numbers 6:27) May we walk worthy of HIS name!!!
Resources
Podcasts and More. Did you know we also host a weekly podcast called “Shema Shalom”?
Each episode is designed to encourage your faith and deepen your walk with the L-RD. You can listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, or directly on our website.
We’d love for you to join us—wherever and whenever you listen!
You can also stay connected with Shalom Bridge on TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook, where we share updates, encouragement, and teaching throughout the week. You’ll find our podcast episodes and weekly Parashah blogs anytime on our website at www.shalombridge.org.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and generous support. Your partnership enables us to continue sharing this message of hope and reconciliation with the nations. We are deeply grateful to walk this journey with you.
Stay connected with us at www.shalombridge.org or connect@shalombridge.org.
B’Shalom, Dr. Eugene & Judith Saunders
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*The photo below is the evacuation zone lines. The blue dot is our house.
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“There is neither Jew nor Gentile… for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” — Sha’ul (Paul) Galatians 3:28
At Shalom Bridge.org, we believe that unity is the heartbeat of truth and that love across lines, fulfills the vision G‑D gave us. Thank you for being part of something sacred—and for choosing to build bridges where walls once divided.
With deep gratitude and hope,
The Shalom Bridge Team Bridging faith. Growing love. Finding shalom.
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